KUNDASANG (SABAH) AT THE INTERSECTION OF REGIONAL FAULT ZONES OF QUATERNARY AGE

Geological Society of Malaysia, Bulletin 53, June 2007, pp. 59 – 66

Kundasang (Sabah) at the intersection of regional fault zones of

Quaternary age
H.D. TJIA
Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI),
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Abstract: The Crocker fault zone (CFZ) is more than 170 km long and several kilometres wide. It contains the Quaternary
structural valleys Tenom, Keningau, and Tambunan which are aligned in a northerly to N20oE trend. Its most northern
segment, Lobou-Lobou, displaced a tarred road for 15 cm left-laterally. In addition to normal faulting, as the association
with valley-fill deposits suggests, tributaries of the Pegalan river that cross the CFZ boundary also display abrupt sinistral
course shifts of several hundred metres. The Mensaban fault zone (MFZ) strikes WNW and is traceable over a distance
of 110 km from Tuaran toward east into the interior of Sabah. Faceted ridge spurs indicate Quaternary activity of normal
faulting with individual downthrows up to 50 m high. Along a Mensaban fault strand in the vicinity of Kundasang, the
sudden course change of the Liwagu river suggests recent and sustained sinistral slip. In this area the MFZ is 12 km wide
and intersects the CFZ. Continued activity on these two regional faults is one of the root causes of widespread mass
movements in the Kundasang area.

Abstrak: Zon sesar Crocker dikesan sepanjang 170 km lebih dan selebar beberapa kilometer. Di dalamnya terkandung
lembah struktur Tenom, Keningau dan Tambunan yang menjurus antara utara hingga U20oT. Ruas zon sesar paling utara,
Lobou-Lobou, telah menganjak jalan berturap sebanyak 15 cm ke kiri. Bersamaan dengan sesaran menurun, seperti
dicadangkan persekutuannya dengan isian sedimen Kuaterner lembah, sejumlah anak sungai kepada Sungai Pegalan ketika
melintasi sesar sempadan lembah mengalami anjakan lateral sejauh beberapa ratus meter ke kiri. Zon sesar Mensaban
berjurus timur-tenggara dan berpanjangan 110 km daripada Tuaran di barat ke arah pedalaman Sabah. Hujung rabung
topografi yang berfaset mewakili aktiviti Kuaterner yang melibatkan sesaran menurun sehingga 50 m pada tempat tempat
tertentu. Di sekitaran Kundasang, Sungai Liwagu tiba tiba teranjak lateral ke kiri sejauh hampir 2 km . Zon sesar Mensaban
berkelebaran 12 km. Di sana pula, kedua dua sesar aktif serantau menyilang dan merupakan salah satu sebab utama kepada
berlakunya susutan-darat yang meluas.
seismotectonic map. The latest study gathered evidence
INTRODUCTION that a second regional fault zone crosses the Kundasang
area, cutting and displacing Quaternary deposits (Figure
The Kundasang area is located in the Sabah highlands 3). Segments of this fault zone bound the Tenom, Keningau
on the southeast side of Gunung Kinabalu. Kundasang and Tambunan structural valleys. This regional fault zone
township straddles the trunk road between Tuaran and occurs at the eastern edge of Banjaran Crocker and is
Ranau (in Figure 1 the Kundasang area is marked by a named the Crocker fault zone (CFZ). About 15 kilometres
rectangle). The geology was mapped by Collenette (1958), more to the west, Lee (1980) identified a roughly similar
by Jacobson (1970) and by others who reported on detailed trending satellite lineament and named it the “Crocker
observations on certain parts of the area. The adjusted Lineament”. Another clear lineament extending from
stratigraphy is mainly based on Jacobson’s work (Figure Terusan on the Sulu Sea coast via Telupid to Pinangah in
2b). Widespread ground movements pose the main hazard. central Sabah runs roughly parallel to CFZ.
This phenomenon was described and analysed by Ibrahim
Komoo and C.S. Lim of Lestari (2002, 2003). Three THE CROCKER FAULT ZONE
fundamental causes for ground instability were identified
(Tjia 2006): (1) original earth material of the Oligocene Field indications of young activity along the Crocker
submarine chaotic deposits (mapped by most previous Fault Zone (CFZ) were observed at the localities described
reporters as Trusmadi Formation, Figure 2a), (2) the below. Most of the indications are already known and
Kundasang area being located within the WNW-trending published; this article interprets the individual fault
wide and Quaternary Mensaban fault zone, (3) the still depressions and brings together similarly trending fault
rising Kinabalu pluton that may have disturbed the isostatic segments into one regional fault zone of Quaternary
equilibrium and causes local normal faulting as adjustment. activity. The CFZ includes the following segments:
The present article resulted from re-examination of aerial (a) Tenom Quaternary depression, strike N10oE, > 55 km
photographs of 1970 and of subsequent vintages until year long between Tomani and Melalap, up to 0.6 km
2002, of radar satellite images, and a short field survey in wide;
2006 conducted together with the Minerals and Geoscience (b) Keningau Quaternary depression, strike N20oE, ~30
Department team entrusted with updating the Malaysian km long and 1 km wide;
June 2007 59
 H.D. TJIA

(c) Tambunan Quaternary depression, strike N20oE, ~ 15

km long and 0.4 km wide;
(d) Lobou-Lobou active fault, strike N20oE, along the SE
side of Mt. Kinabalu.
Segments (a) through (d) has a combined length of
175 km (Figure 4). Through the elongated depressions
Tambunan and Keningau runs Sungai Pegalan in southerly
direction until near Tenom it joins Sungai Padas that
arrives by flowing northerly from the small Tomani
depression and past Kemabong (Figure 5; Geological
Survey of Malaysia map of Sabah, GSD, 1985).
Tenom depression
Between Kemabong and Tenom, this 25-km segment
of the elongated depression is flanked by normal faults
forming a graben filled with Quaternary deposits (Figure
5; GSD, 1985). Its eastern flank subsided more compared
to the other flank and this is shown by the asymmetrical
distribution of the older Quaternary deposits occurring on
the west side (implying uplift there). On radar satellite
image, the fault on the east side of the depression continues
farther north as a distinct lineament for another 30 km.

Figure 2a: Simplified geological map of the Kundasang area, mainly

after Jacobson (1970) with revisions and additions. (1) Igneous
rocks, undifferentiated; (2) “Trusmadi” rocks of sheared diamictite;
(3) Crocker Formation; (4) Undisturbed blanket of Pinosuk Gravels;
(5) creep and slumps under a thin cover of Pinosuk Gravels; cb =
crystalline basement (black); cm = contact-metamorphic zone; Pn =
Pinosuk Gravels; bold lines are fault contacts.

Figure 1: Lineaments and curvi-lineaments on radar image of western

and central Sabah. Kundasang (square) lies at the intersection of the
Mensaban and Crocker fault zones. In the east, the Mensaban fault
zone terminates against a major tectonic lineament that extends from
Terusan via Telupid to Pinangah. A large multi-ring structure south
of Marudu Bay centres about Marak Parak and could represent an Figure 2b: Stratigraphy of the Kundasang area, adapted from various
impact structure. sources and field checks.

60 Geological Society of Malaysia, Bulletin 53

 KUNDASANG (SABAH) AT THE INTERSECTION OF REGIONAL FAULT ZONES OF QUATERNARY AGE
Keningau
The Keningau depression is ~ 30 km long and 1 km
wide. Roughly half way on the road between Tenom and
Keningau, Shariff Abd Kadir S. Omang et al. (1987)
studied a set of normal faults cutting into Quaternary
gravels. The fault zone occurs in an up to 20 m high
roadcut over an across-fault exposure distance of more
than 50 metres. The faulted deposits are of fluvial origin
and consist of thick, well-rounded gravel and boulder
beds intercalated with thick beds of argillaceous sandstone
(Figure 6a). The normal-faults strike NE and SW forming
a series of graben with throws reaching over 7 m. Fault
drag is common and is consistent with normal fault slip
(Figure 6b). This particular outcrop appears to mark the
north extension of the eastern boundary fault of the Tenom
structural depression.
Sivam (1966) studied the entire Keningau depression
and showed that it was essentially a NNE-elongated half
graben whose eastern side dropped progressively as
response to spasmodic rise of the Crocker Range on the
west side of the depression. The successive episodes of
down-faulting developed a staircase of river terraces on
the west side of this structural valley. The highest terrace
reached over 30 m above the main river, the Sungai
Pegalan, that flows in southerly direction. The geological
map of Sabah (Figure 5) again shows the asymmetrical
distribution of most of the Quaternary deposits, named as
Apin-Apin gravels by Sivam. The older part occurs on the
west side of the half graben, a situation that is consistent
with greater downthrow on its east side. In the south part
of the Keningau valley, however, high Pleistocene-covered
terraces are distributed evenly suggesting relative uplift
of this part (Figure 5).
June 2007
Figure 3: Major faults in western Sabah derived
from images of radar satellite, regional geological
map of Sabah (1985) with field checks since 1969.
Tambunan Depression
This depression is a smaller version of the Keningau
half graben. Three steps of Holocene fluvial terraces are
on the west side while the Pegalan river course closely
follows the eastern boundary of the depression. The highest
terrace is 40 m above Sungai Pegalan. Quaternary fluvial
gravels and sands fill the depression. The older deposits
(interpreted as Pleistocene Tambunan Gravels) are again
exposed with the higher terrace on the west side of the
depression (Figure 5; Raj 1973; GSD, 1985). Cross faults,
the Mangi-Pangi fault and the Lotong fault box in the
Tambunan depression in the north and in the south,
respectively.
Lobou-Lobou
About a kilometre north of Kundasang at Lobou-
Lobou village, a narrow tarred road is cut and displaced
left-laterally by a N20oE fault. The sinistral displacement
of 15 cm is shown by offset of one of the road edges and
the white central line (Figure 7). The other road edge is
masked by silts and mud. The fault displacement is tectonic
in nature, as the lateral movement had been upslope. This
stretch of road deck is probably less than 10 years old and
built to replace an older failed road segment located some
metres down slope of the present location. Soil creep may
have been the cause of failure of that road segment. The
Lobou-Lobou fault segment lies in the continuation of the
Tambunan fault (Figure 3) and is therefore considered
part of the Crocker fault zone.
Nature of Faulting
The Quaternary valley fills of the Tambunan, Keningau
and Tenom valleys indicate the Crocker fault zone to have
61
 H.D. TJIA
Figure 5: The Tenom, Keningau, and Tambunan structural valleys
are segments of the Crocker fault zone. Note that Pleistocene fluvial
deposits occur predominantly on one side of the valleys, implying
faulting continuing into the Holocene.
62
Figure 4: The Tenom-Keningau-Tambunan
valleys mark the Crocker fault zone. The
WNW lineament passing just south of G.
Kinabalu represents the Mensaban fault zone.
Extracted from Ng (2007).
been active during that time. The asymmetrical distribution
of Pleistocene valley fills and progressive shifts of river
terraces suggest fault activity into the Holocene. The fault
displacements favour normal faulting as the main mode of
structuring. However, rivers originating in the Trusmadi
range to the east of the CFZ, show distinct sinistral course
shifts of a few hundred metres distance before joining S.
Pegalan. This can be seen near the north end of the
Tambunan depression, at the north (Apin-Apin vicinity)
and middle part of the Keningau depression near Bingkor
(circled on Figure 5; GSD, 1985). Major drainage
derangements in this part of Sabah has been proposed by
a number of researchers and referred to by Liechti (1960,
p. 321-326). In the geologically recent past, the Pegalan
river could have drained into the Sulu Sea via the
Kinabatangan river. The stream derangements are thought
to have taken place by ?Middle Pleistocene time.
Field evidence has shown the Lobou-Lobou fault
segment as a currently active fault with sinistral
Geological Society of Malaysia, Bulletin 53
 KUNDASANG (SABAH) AT THE INTERSECTION OF REGIONAL FAULT ZONES OF QUATERNARY AGE

Figure 6b: Detail of the Quaternary faults at the west end of the
outcrop.

Figure 6a: Thick interbeds of Quaternary fluvial gravel and sand

(Apin-Apin Gravels) cut by normal faults that run parallel to the
Crocker fault zone. The young faults occur between the Keningau
and Tenom depressions. Pamilan (“Keningau”) fault strand strikes
220° and dips 62° (orange). Displacement circa 6 metres between
black arrows. Quaternary gravels, road cut km 18 Keningau-Tenom,
Sabah.

Figure 7: Active strike-slip faulting on the

Lobou-Lobou segment of the Crocker fault
zone in the vicinity of Kundasang;
photograph taken on 19 July 2006.

Figure 8: Faceted ridge spurs reaching up as high as 50 m above their base indicate Quaternary normal faulting along the Mensaban fault zone;
east side of the Kundasang area. In the foreground are other parallel fault strands associated with hummocky topography.
June 2007 63
 H.D. TJIA
displacement. In the Kundasang area, it is not uncommon
to observe mass movements associated with NNE
orientation which would indicate control by and
reactivation of structures within the Crocker fault zone.
THE MENSABAN FAULT ZONE
Just east of Kundasang, a row of faceted ridge spurs
define two WNW - ESE trending strands of the Mensaban
fault zone (Figure 8). The faceted ridge spurs reach about
50 m above the base and is masked by broken sandstone
blocks of the Crocker Formation. Downslope from the
faceted spurs are more parallel fault lines with low scarps
that are associated with hummocky surfaces indicative of
soil creep. The material is a chaotic assemblage of non-
sorted metre-long and smaller deformed clasts in an
argillaceous groundmass mapped as Palaeogene Trusmadi
Formation. This particular rock unit (the so called
“Trusmadi” unit) has been as products of widespread
subaqueous, syndepositional mass movements in the
64
Figure 9: The “Trusmadi” rocks of the
Kundasang area consist diamictite resulting
from Palaeogene synsedimentary slides;
subsequently the rock assemblage was
tectonically sheared. The competent clasts
are broken and their outlines streamlined
into their current appearance. The clasts are
predominantly arenite.
Figure 10: Interpretation from
aerial photographs of 1972
vintage. The Mensaban fault zone
is closely associated with mass
movements in the Kundasang
area. (1) landslide debris; (2)
landslide scar, arrow indicates
slide direction; (3) old landslide
scar; (4) fault surface exposed as
facetted slope; (5) fault line, major
and minor; (6) Pinosuk Gravels.
Kinabalu Suture Zone (Tjia 1989). Subsequently, its
synsedimentary deformation was enhanced by tectonic
movements during closure of the suture zone and achieved
its present sheared appearance (Figure 9). The youthful
morphology of faceted ridge spurs and fault lines in the
Pinosuk Gravel suggest the Mensaban fault zone to have
been active in the Quaternary. This is supported by about
2 km sinistral displacement of the Liwagu river course
parallel to the Mensaban fault trend. At the same time the
displacement may well represent the sense of faulting.
The “Trusmadi” rocks in the Kundasang area were
once covered by a blanket of Late Quaternary Pinosuk
Gravels that was removed by deep-reaching denudation.
An outlier of the gravel unit is exposed on the south side
of the main Kundasang-Ranau road, now over a hundred
metres above the Liwagu river running through the
“Trusmadi” area of Kundasang. These exhumed
“Trusmadi” rocks form the unstable material that is one of
the root causes of widespread and continuous mass
movements (Tjia, 2006). Previous studies erroneously
Geological Society of Malaysia, Bulletin 53
 KUNDASANG (SABAH) AT THE INTERSECTION OF REGIONAL FAULT ZONES OF QUATERNARY AGE
considered the Pinosuk Gravels as the unstable material.
Slumping involving the gravel only occurs at the edges of
the contiguous cover of Pinosuk Gravel (such as at Desa
Cattle and farther north, where the underlying “Trusmadi”
has become exposed to weathering.
Aerial photographs and regional SAR (synthetic
aperture radar) images indicate that in the study area the
Mensaban fault zone (MFZ) is at least 12 km wide (Figure
10). The fault zone extends west to Tuaran where it
disappears under coastal plain deposits. Eastward the fault
zone intersects with a regional lineament that extends
from Terusan (north of Labuk Bay) via Telupid to Pinangah
in central Sabah. The MFZ as described above is 110 km
long (Figure 1).
CONCLUSIONS
The WNW - ESE Mensaban fault zone and the NNE
trending Crocker fault zone have been active in the
Quaternary. The CFZ includes the structural valleys
Tenom, Keningau, and Tambunan where normal
displacements dominated. Probable young left-slips of
several hundred metres are suggested by river course
offsets on tributaries entering the Pegalan river from the
east (Figure 5). A segment of CFZ, the Lobou-Lobou
fault, shows sinistral slip.
The Mensaban fault zone is ~12 km wide in the
Kundasang area and shows up on radar images over a
distance of 110 km. Its Quaternary age is suggested by the
near-pristine appearance of its faceted ridge spurs and
some of its faults cutting across the Pinosuk Gravel surface.
In the Kundasang area the faceted spurs indicate normal
faulting downthrowing south. In addition, the abrupt change
of the Liwagu river course suggests sinistral slip of about
2 kilometres.
The widespread mass movements of the Kundasang
area can be partially attributed to active movements on
the Crocker and Mensaban fault zones that intersect in
this area.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Radar satellite images of several scenes of western
Sabah were made available by Fredolin Javino (JMG
Sabah). Discussions in the field with the Mineral and
Geoscience Department’s Seismotectonic Map team
members contributed to a better understanding of the
Paper Code NGC07/24
Manuscript received 2 April 2007
Revised manuscript received 11 May 2007
June 2007
geology of Sabah. To all these colleagues: a heart felt
thanks.
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